Universal captive cap for collapsible tubes and bottles



- 8- ,,1 .D. P. BARRAVECHlA 2,948,440

UNIVERSAL CAPTIVE CAP FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES AND BOTTLES Filed June 24, 1957 IINVENTORP @amezzz'ak W $a71'aI 00fiia ATTORNEYS indicates the closure of the present invention,

Uni d. S a es Patent lice UNIVERSAL CAPTIVE CAP'FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES AND BOTTLES Domenick P. Barravecchia,"54 Stillman Ave Westerly, R.

This invention relates to a closure or cap.

The object of the invention is to provide a cap which is adapted to be mounted on containers such as bottles, collapsible tubes or the like. 4

Another object of the invention is to provide a closure cap which includes a body member that is provided-with a passageway therein, and wherein there is provided a manually operable collar or sleeve that is adapted to be moved into and out of opening or closing relation with respect to an outlet opening in the body member so that the discharge of material from a container can be readily controlled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture. 7

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same. Y

Figure lis a vertical sectional view taken through the closure of the present invention, and showing the collar in raised position.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the closure, and with the collar in section, and showing the collar in lowered position.

Figure 3 is an elevational view showing a collapsible tube equipped with the closure of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a view showing a bottle having the closure thereon.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral and the closure 10 includes a body member 11 which can be made of any suitable material. The body member 11 is provided with an L-shaped passageway which is indicated generally by the numeral 12, and the passageway 12 includes a first portion 13 which provides an inlet,

' and arranged at right angles with respect to the first portion 13 is a second portion 14 which terminates in an outlet opening 15 that may be countersunk. The portion 14 may be of smaller diameter than the portion 13,

and the portion :13 includes a threaded section 16 whereby the closure can be readily arranged in threaded engagement with the neck of a container such as a collapsible tube, bottle or the like.

The closure of the present invention further includes a sleeve or collar which is indicated generally by the nu meral 17, and the collar 17 is mounted for movement into and out of closing and opening relation with respect to the outlet opening 15. In Figure l the collar 17 is shown in closing relation with respect to the outlet 15 so that no material can flow therethrough. In Figure 2 the collar 17 is shown in open position with respect to the outlet opening 15 whereby material can be readily dispensed or discharged therethrough. The interior of the collar 17 is shaped to define a bore or opening 18, and the bore 18 has a tapered shape so that the diameter of the top of the bore 18 is greater than the diameter 2,948,440 -Patented Aug. 9, 1960 at the bottom of the bore 18. The collar 17 is knurled externally as at 19 so as to facilitate the manual movement of the collar 17.

Referring to Figure 3 of the drawings, the closure 10 is shown mounted on a collapsible tube 20,- while in Figure 4 the closure 10 is shown being used on a bottle when no material is being discharged or dispensed frorn' which is indicated by the numeral 21.

The outside of the body member 11 is shaped so that the lower portion 22 is of uniform diameter. The upper half or upper portion 23 of the body-member 11 has a tapered shape so that the diameter of the upper portion 23 increases progressively from the point 24 to the top of the body member 11. t 7

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided, a closure which is constructed so that it can be readilymounted on various types of containers. For example the closure 10 of the present invention can be mounted on a collapsible tube 20 as shown in Figure 3, or it can be mounted-on a bottle such as the bottle 21 of Figure 4. r t

The parts of the closure can be made of any suitable material and in different shapes or sizes. The closure 10 includes the body member 11 which is provided with the L-shaped passageway 12, and the threaded portion 16 is adapted tobe screwed on the usual threaded neck of the container such as the tube or bottle. Normally,

the container, the collar 17 is in the position shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 so that no material can flow out through the, outlet opening 15. However, when ma: terial is to be dispensed or discharged, it is only necessary to move the collar 17 from the position shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, to the position shown in Figure 2, so. that the opening 15is exposedor uncovered whereby material from the container can be readily dispensed out through the passageway 12 and out through the outlet opening 15.

As previously described, the outer surface ofthe body member 11 is smooth and is constructed so that the lower portion 22 is of uniform diameter, while the upper portion 23 has a tapered shape so that it gradually increases in diameter from the point 24 to the upper end of the body member. The collar 17 has the inner tapered bore 18 so that the upper end of the bore 18 is of greater diameter than the lower end thereof. This insures that when the collar 17 is in the raised position as shown in Figure 1, that the tapered bore 18 will coact or cooperate with the tapered surface 23 to form a locking effect so that accidental movement or opening of the collar :17 is prevented. The knurled surface 19 facilitates the manual movement of the collar 17 whereby it can be readily moved to open or closed position.

The closure or cap of the present invention can be used on various types of containers such as collapsible tubes, bottles or the like. The cap is simple to make and includes only tWo parts which can be cast of plastic or the like. It is economical to make and it has no intricate movable parts and can stand rough handling. The cap or closure does not require any cork for sealing or friction, and the collar 17 seals and tightens at the same time due to the provision of the tapered construction.

The body member 11 can be screwed onto different types of tubes or bottles Without requiring any alteration of the tube or bottle and the cap or closure will not accidentally come oil? of the container. The closure may either be sold as standard equipment for tubes and bottles, or else it can be sold as a single item especially for use with bottles or the like. For example, the closure can be used in barber shops, for hair tonic bottles, or in hospitals on rubbing alcohol bottles and for any otherdesired use. The closure works quickly and easily since the collar 17 engages and disengages and separates immediately due to the tapered construction and as the collar 17 is moved downward, the space between the collar and. body member increases. The closure is easy to keep clean and there are no parts to become stopped up. While the closure is adapted to be preferably made of a plastic material, if desired it can be made of other materials. The cap or' closure is adaptable to all standard tubes and bottles, and the closure of the present invention eliminates the usual takcofi and put-on screw caps. To open the closure, it is only necessary to slide the collar l7 down and to close the device, it is only necessary to slide the collar up. When the collar is up, it seals, tightens and closes the opening 15, and the closure can be used on containers such as collapsible tubes which hold various products such as tooth paste, creams, ointments, paste and the like. Also, it can be used on bottles for liquids where the amount of flow is desired in small amounts such as shampoo, hair tonics, lotions, rubbing alcohol and the like. The numeral 24 indicates the starting point for the upper taper 23, and the lower portion 22 has no taper so that the lower portion 22 is of uniform diameter, and the portion 22 has the same diameter as the smallest diameter of the bore 18 so that the collar will not fall back to closed position by itself in the event a person should hold the contents in a downward position. The threads 16 correspond to the threads on a container, and the bore 18 has the same taper as the tapered portion 23 so that when the collar is moved up, it closes the opening 15 and remains stationary and seals as it closes.

While I have shown a preferred form of my invention,

I reserve all rights to such modifications as properly fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

A closure comprising a body member which embodies an upper portion and a lower portion, said body member having a smooth outer surface throughout its entire length, there being an L-shaped passageway in said body member which terminates in an outlet opening, said passageway embodying first and second portions which are arranged substantially at right angles with respect to each other, a manually operable collar movably mounted on said body member, said collar having its outer peripheral surface completely knurled, said collar having its outside diameter uniform in size throughout the entire length thereof, said collar being slidably mounted for movement into and out of opened and closed relation with respect to said outlet opening, said collar being of a size so that the distance from one end to the other is less than the length of either the upper or lower portions of the body member, the lower outer portion of said body member being of uniform diameter, the upper outer portion of said body member having a tapered formation whereby "the diameter thereof progressively increases towards the top thereof, the junction of the upper and lower portions of said body member being approximately midway between the ends of the body member,

the interior of said collar being smoothand being provided with a tapered bore, the tapered bore and the collar being such that the upper portion of the bore is of greater diameter than the lower portion of the bore, and wherein the collar has a wall thickness which gradually increases from top to bottom, there being threads in the interior of said body member, said threads having their upper ends terminating at a point which generally coincides with the junction of the upper and lower portions of the body member, said outlet opening being counter-sunk, the second portion of said passageway being of smaller diameter than the first portion of said passageway.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ephron Jan. 31.1956 

